Container



Sept. 25, 1934. v. K. LE COMTE CONTAINER Filed July 29, 1933 Patented Sept. 25, 1934 UNITEDjSTAri-:s

fVictol" K. Le l('lolrl'te.;'orest Hills, N. Y., assignor to Le Comtech. VCor. .Irn c., arcorporation `of New York Application July 29,1933, serial No. 682,833 1o clanes. (o1. 2120-43)` This invention relates 'to containersrsuch as cans constructed of tin or similar material, and more Yparticularly to containers providedwith` means for securely fastening the covers thereon; Containers constructed according to this invention are particularly suitable for packing substances such as perishable foods. For many such purposes, the container and its cover should be so constructed that the cover may be securely '10l applied and fastened to the container, and -yet may be removed without serious difficulty, Afor the purpose of inspection of the contents. The above desirable result is obtained, according to this invention, by the provision of a pliable fastening member associated with the cover, the provision and arrangement being such thatthe fastening member may be bent into oroutr of its fastened position.

1n a preferred embodiment, the fastening mem- Sv ber is in the form of a tough length of wire locat ed across the top of the cover and xed to at least two points of the periphery thereof. At the said points where the securing wire is xed to the periphery of the cover, the wire is'also adapted to protrude into a fastening engagement with the upper portion of the 'container itself. The secure fastening is effected by bending at least one of the protruding portions of thewire intoY engagement with, or under, a suitable lip or rim formed at the upper circumference of the container.

A feature of the invention resides in the use of the securing wire or member as a convenient'handle when the cover is in the fastened position..

The above 'and other features of the invention 3-5v will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawing of which: i Y

Figure 1 is a plan View of the container showing the cover clamped into it's fastened position;

Figure 2 is an elevation view in section of the upper portion of the vcontainer'with its cover inthe fastened position, the section being 'taken at line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a detail view showing the fastened position of the fastening member;

Figure 4 is an enlarged ybroken sectional view of the cover, showing the fastening wire; and

Figure 5 is a broken View somewhat similar to Fig. Ll, but including the upper portion of the container.

Referring to the drawing, the container struc' ture is a can 10 comprising the usual cylindrical wall portion 11 and provided with a flat circularl bottom portion. 'Ihe lower portion of the can, in-

- `to hole 18, through which the protruding end 21 is of a well-known form.Y For the purpose of providing 4increased strength and rigidityr near the upper open edge of the can, a strengthening bead 12 is formed on the cylindrical wall somewhat below the upper edge. The upperedge at the open periphery of the container is curled over outwardly to form a curled rim or lip 13 around the circular edge at the top of the can. The can cover1 14 is formed by turning up the outer portion, or perimeter, of a at circular piece of the material to form an outer circumference, or periphery, 15 which lits fairly tightly withinthe top of the container. There is formed around the upper edge of the outer yperiphery of the cover a flange, or curl, 16, this being formed by curling over the edge of the metal, as shown. This flange or curl is of substantially the same diameter as the rirn 13 of the container, so that the flange rests upon the rim when the cover is applied to the container.

The fastening means comprises a tough, pliable wire 17 Vextending through a hole at 18 at one side of the periphery yof the cover, across the top of the cover and through another hole 19 at the opposite side of the cover periphery. s The wire is securely fixed to the cover at hole 18 by such means as solder 20, and protrudes somewhat beyond the outer periphery as shown at 21. At the opposite hole 19, the wire is likewise fixed to the cover as by solder 20". Beyond the hole 19, there is a por- 851 tion of the wire at 23 which, when it is desired to fasten 'the cover, may be bent horizontally approximately at a right angle to the main portion which extends across the top of the co-ver.

For the purpose of enabling the wire to securely` fasten the cover in position, there is provided in the wall of the container near the upper periph-A ery a hole, or opening, 24, juxtaposed with respect of the fastening wire is inserted.

At the opposite side of the container wall, that is, `in juxtaposition with hole 19 of the cover, the rim, or lip, 13 of thecon-tainer'is cut awaysomewhat ati-25 (see Figures 1 and 3) to provide space for the portion of therwire extending through hole 19 to occupy when the `cover is moved into posi-V tion.` Upon application of the cover to the can, the wire 17 will ordinarily extend a short distance outwardly through hole 19 somewhat in the position shown at 26, in Fig. 4.

To finally securely fasten the cover, the outwardly extending portion 26 of the wire is bent approximately at a right angle and forced up under the rim or lip 13 to the position shown at 23 in Figs. I, 2, 3` and 5'. In this position, the cover cannot be removed from the can.

In order to remove the cover for inspection, then, some sort of instrument or tool may be applied to the bent portion 23 of the fastening wire to pull it out from underthe rim 13, whereupon the cover may be removed in the normal manner.

A feature of convenience resides in the fact that the fastening wire is provided with a crooked portion 22 approximately midway between the holes 18 and 19, which preferably normally remains almost flat against the top of the can. After the cover is fastened, this crooked portion may be twisted or pulled upwardly to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, thereby forming a convenient handle for the container.

Although the fastening member has been shown and described as being a tough, pliable wire, in

the preferred embodiment, it will be understood` that this member need not necessarily be a wire; any equivalent form of fastening member may be used instead.

It has been found in some cases advantageous to more securely iix the fastening wire to the cover, and this has been done by bending the wire downwardly at each side of the cover just inside of holes 18 and 19 so that the wire touches the top of the cover, where it may be soldered. Between these points of soldering upon the top of the cover just inside the periphery, the wire may then be raised somewhat to the level shown in the drawing. This will provide two additional points of fastening to give additional strength, and at the same time there will still be obtained the handle effect at 22.

I claim:

1. In combination with a container and a cover therefor, means for securing said cover comprising a fastening wire fixed to and protruding from the periphery of said cover and engaging with a juxtaposed hole in said container, and a fastening wire protruding from the opposite side of said periphery and being bent under a lip of said container for securely fastening said cover into place.

2. Means for securing a cover to a container comprising a fastening wire extending through two points of the periphery of said cover, one end of said wire extending through a juxtaposed hole in said container, and the other end of said wire being bent under a lip of said container.

3. Means for securing a cover to a container comprising a fastening wire which protrudes beyond two points of the periphery of said cover, said wire being xed at each of said points, one of the protruding ends of said wire extending through a juxtaposed opening in said container, the opposite end of said wire being bent horizontally under a circumferential lip of said container.

4. Means for securing a cover within the top of a container, comprising a pliable fastening wire extending through and fixed to two points of the periphery of said cover, one end of said wire being adapted to protrude through a juxtaposed opening in said container, and engaging therewith when in the fastened position, and the other protruding end of said wire being bent horizontally under a rim of said container to complete the fastening of said cover.

5. In combination, a container, a cover therefor',Y and means for securing said cover within the top of said container, said means comprising a wire extending across the top of said cover and through two approximately opposite points thereof, said wire being xed to said cover at each of said points, said container having a rim at its top and being provided with a hole near the top of its wall, whereby when the cover is in the covered position, the protruding end of said wire at one of said fixed points engages in said hole, and the opposite end of said wire is bent approximately at a right angle under said rim to fasten said cover.

6. In combination, a container, a cover therefor, and means for securing said cover to said container, said means comprising a wire extending across the top of said cover and through two approximately opposite points thereof, said wire being fixed to said cover at each of said points, said container having a hole near the top of its wall and having an upper circumferential rim a portion of which is cut away at a point approximately Vopposite said hole, whereby when the cover is in the covered position, the protruding end of said wire at one of said points engages through .said hole, and the opposite protruding end of said wire at the other point extends through the cut-away portion of said rim and is bent and engaged under said rim.

'7. In combination, a container, a cover therefor, and means for securing said cover to said container, said means comprising a wire extending across the top of said cover and through two approximately opposite points thereof, said wire having a crooked portion between said points and being fixed to said cover at each of said points, said container having an upper rim and a hole in its wall juxtaposed with respect to one of said points, said rim having a cut-away portion in juxtaposition with respect to said other point, whereby when said cover is moved to its covered position, the protruding end of said wire at one of said points engages through said hole and the opposite protruding end of said wire may be bent and engaged under said rim. Y k

8. A combination according to claim 7 in which said crooked portion of said wire between said points is bent upwardly, when in the fastened condition, to provide a handle.

9. In combination with a container and a cover therefor, means for fastening said cover within the top of saidcontainer which comprises a portion of a fastening member fixed to and protruding from the periphery of said cover and engaging with an engaging portion attached to said container, and another portion of an engaging member protruding from another point of said periphery and engaging with another engaging portion of said container.

10. Means for securing a cover within the top of a container which comprises a fastening member extending across the top of, and fixed to two points of, the periphery of said cover and protruding beyond said periphery at both ends, each of said ends being adapted to engage with an engaging portion of said container.

- vro'roa K. LE COMTE.Y 

